Just wondering if anyone in Victoria is interested in doing a swap? I'm looking at setting up a hive and i want to get a Ligurian from Kangaroo Island... is anybody in a position to give up few frames of brood/honey/workers and next season i'll make up a Kangaroo Island Ligurian nucleus for you?

Check with you local bee club or aparist. They may be able to help. Most places have flows at the moment so brood may be an issue. The queens from the island sound very positive from other reports around this site.

Hey Pete, thanks for your reply... I'm up near Melbourne Airport - but i don't mind travelling at all. Any assistance would be appreciated and i'm more than happy to provide replacement frames and also a KI queen/nucleus in spring coz i want to try and raise some from the one i get...

Hey Pete, I'm not sure-i'm guessing maybe four in total (full depth) - i'd guess two brood - two honey? I will be adding supplementary feeding so maybe only two brood and one honey and some workers attached to those frames? Anyone have any suggestions as to what i would need? I certainly don't want to be stealing anyones winter stocks. We have a bunch of eucalyptus flowering in the coming weeks where i am so that should give them a good start in the nectar stakes so long as the weather stays warmish... the offer still stands of a Kangaroo Island Queen or Nucleus in spring as well

Turns out a friend of mine has hives! he and i are going to get together next weekend and he's going to give me some frames to start mine up.

I'm just wondering though - what should i get? i'm starting up an 8 frame brood only as i doubt i'll get a honey super on before winter. I'll be feeding sugar syrup and pollen patties...

Would four frames of brood and bees with four undrawn foundation be ok? Or should i take two frames of brood and two frames of honey? Also, once the frames are in my hive and i've relocated them to my bee yard should i open them up straight away and let them fly around? My friends hives are over 100km away

hi oz buzz went down on the common her to day on dam wall noticed the forrest red growing on dam wall had a few buds on .normally out her they don't start flowering till end July.what i noticed was the cap on the bud before it breaks out in flower turns a redye marone colour seen some old Budd's when you look at them they look like a star pattern.what are the eucalyptus doing down that way. i was supprised to see this as it out of season.only young trees noticed the older ones are no wear near ready to flower.i wonder if a plant that flower out season still produce nectar or poll an.it was quit cold her i didn't notice any bees around it,i keep eye on it.